Lock-operating mechanism



Jan 6, 1931.

- H. T. THOMAS LOCK OPERATING MECHANISM Filed Sept. 25, 1922'. ,3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Jan 6,, 1931. THOMAS 1,787,803

LOCK OPERATING MECHANISI Filed Sept. 25, 1922 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 g 5 3% a. M

: Gun um Jim 6, 1931. I H. T. THOMAS A 03 LOCK OPERATINQ MECHANISI filed Sept. 25, 1932 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 w L v 65 "w l! 1 mm" Patented den. 6, 1931 'FFicE.

HORACE 'r. THOMAS, on LANSING, MICHIGAN LOCK-OPERATING ivincnenism Application filed September 25, 1922. Serial No. 590,316.

My invention relates to operating mechanism for automobile doors and an object of 'my improvements is to provide an improved apparatus for latching, unlatching, opening and closing an automobile door that shall be readily accessible to a person occupying'a seat in the'vehicle. I accomplish this object in the apparatus illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of an auto mobile body showing theinside of the doors and adjacent side of the body.

Fig. 2 is an enlargedelevation of the latch mechanism, the adjacent walls of the door and side being broken away.

Fig. 3 is a section on the line III-HT of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the yoke.

Fig. 5 is a perspective View of an operating cam.

a is the rear door and a2 the front door of an automobile. a3 is the rear seat and al the front seat of the same. b is the latching bolt and c is an operating handle therefor,

the shank of which extends horizontally inward from the door. The handle 0 is connected with the bolt 6 by mechanism dc that may be of a convenient length to properly locate the handle 0 as hereinafter described.

The handle 0 is secured atone end to the out er end of its shank c3 and extends parallel and adjacent to the inner surface of the door.

The bolt 1) is provided with a slot 62, the walls of which engage over astationary guide b3 to constrain the Ihotion of the bolt. 64 is the shaft of a handle forming part of a conventional apparatus for retracting the bolt 7) which shaft extends to the outside of the door and is adapted to be turned and in so doing to retract the bolt 6 while leaving said bolt free to move from its'locked to its retracted position independent of said handle and its shaft. b5is a spring acting to forcethe bolt 1) into its engaging position. 03 is a rod one end of which is secured to the inner end of the"bolt b and extends inward therefrom. The inner end of the rod (1 is provided with a cross-head d2.-

e is a yoke or 1i k aving a slot e l, the

walls of which act as guides to constrain'the motion of said yoke in the direction of that of the bolt 6. The rod d fits and extends through an aperture in the outer end of the yoke e and extends axially through a socket 65. The cross-head 0Z2 bears against the wall bounding the outer end of the slot e4 of the yoke e.

66 (Fig. 3) is a compression spring-surrounding the rod d. the outer end of which bears against the end of the socket 65 and. the inner end of which bears against the crosshead d2 on the end of the rod (i. The spring is of sufiicient strength so that it overcomes the tension of the spring 66 and norinally holds the cross-head ($2 at the inner end of the rod 0? against the end wall of the slot 64 and thus holds the yoke e at the outer or right hand end of its travel, as shown in Fig. 2.

The yoke e is provided near its upper and 70 lower edges at its inner or left hand end as shown in Fig. 2, withfriction rollers 63.

The yoke e is made up of two stampings which are placed together to form the socket 65 and the aperture through which the rod d fits and reciprocates. Said stampings toward their rear ends are branched, and the friction rollers 63 63 are placed between tlie two parts, their shafts bearingat their ends in said parts. l

0 is a handle. 03 is a shank extending into the door and through the slot e l in the yoke e. 02 is a cam' located between the two parts of the yoke e and having cam faces bearing upon the friction rollers e3 63. .The cam 02 3 is located at the right of the friction rollers e3 e3 as shown in Fig. 2.

The shank 03 extends horizontally inward I from the door of the automobile. A lever, or

handle, 0 is located at a convenient position to be reached by the occupant of an adjacent seat and is so shaped and located that it is V convenient to open and close the door by means of said handle. v It is obvious that the connecting parts (2 and 6 between the latchingbolt b and the operating mechanism actuated by the handle a may be made of a convenient length to prop- I erly locate said handle. To open the door from the inside the hen;

dle 0 is grasped by the hand and turned to withdraw the bolt Z) from engagement and the door is then opened by means of said handle which forms a convenient and unyielding means for this purpose as the operator already has the proper hold.

\Vhat I claim is':

1. I11 an apparatus of the kind described, the combination of a latching bolt 7), a rod cl extending inward therefrom, a yoke e forming an extension of said rod, a spring interposed between said yoke and a portion of said rod tending to force the yoke 6 toward said bolt, a spring adapted to force said bolt to its'latching position, said yoke and rod being adapted to engage so as to prevent the relative movement of said yoke and bolt away from each other while permitting relative movement in the other direction, and means engaging said yoke for drawing the same inward and thus retracting the bolt from its engaged position from the inside of .the door, and meansfor retracting said bolt from the outside of said door;

2. In apparatus of the kind described, a latching bolt (5, a spring adapted to force said bolt to its engaged position, a yoke e, a rod (Z connected at its outer end to said bolt and passing through an aperture in said yoke, a socket e5 on said yoke surrounding said rod, a spring in said socket engaging at one end the end of said socket and at the other-end engaging said rod, means for pre: venting the relative motion of said bolt and yoke, away from each other while permitting .iree relative movement in the other direction under the action of the last named spring, and

means for retracting said yoke from the inside of the door, and means for retracting said bolt from the outside of said door.

3. In apparatus of the kind described, a latching bolt ti, a spring adapted-to force said bolt to its engaged position, a yoke e, a

rod (Z connected at its outer end to said bolt and passing through an aperture in said yoke, a socket'e5 on said yoke surrounding said rod, a spring in said socket engaging at one end the end of said socket and at the other end engaging said rod, means for preventing-the relative motion of said bolt and yoke away from each other while permitting free relative movement in the other direction under the action of the last named spring", and means for retracting said yoke from the inside of the door, and means for retracting said bolt from the outside of said door, said yoke consisting of two branches, a cam extending between said branches, means for rocking said cam, and engaging parts between said branches adapted to be acted on by said cam.

.4. In an apparatus of the kind described, the combination of a latching bolt b,'a rod 03 extending inward therefrom, a yoke e forming an extension of said rod, a spring acting between said yoke and said rod tending to force the yoke 0 toward saidbolt, a. spring adapted to force said bolt to its latching position, said yoke and rod being adapted to engage so as to prevent the relative movement of said yoke and bolt away from each other while permitting relative movement in the other direction.

5. In an apparatus of the kind described, the combination of a latching engaging said bolt toretract the same while leaving the bolt free to move to its un'latch'ed position independent of said means, a spring acting on said bolt to engage the same and to hold it in engagement with said retracting means, a yoke connected to said bolt so as to retract the same but permit the bolt to be moved towards itssretracted position independent of said yoke, means for retracting said yoke anda spring acting to hold said yoke in engagement with its said retracting means, and with said bolt.

6. In an apparatus of the kind the combination of a latching bolt, means engaging said bolt to retract the same while leaving the bolt free to move to its unlatched position independent of aid means, a spring acting on said bolt to engage the same and to hold it in engagement with said retracting means, a yoke connected to said bolt so as to retract the same but permit the bolt to be moved towards its retracted position independent of said yoke, means for retracting said yoke and a springacting upon said yoke to hold it in engagement with its said retracting means, said 'springacting between said bolt and yoke.

In an apparatus of the kind described, the combination of a latching bolt, a spring engaging said bolt to force it to its latching position, means adapted to be manipulated to retract said bolt leaving said bolt free to moveto its disengaged position independent of said means, a yoke engaging said bolt to draw the same while leaving said bolt free to move to its dis,-

described,

-engagedposition independent of said yoke,

means acting on said yoke being engaged position of its retracting means, and a spring acting on said yoke to prevent free motion of the same without opposing the action of the first mentioned spring."

said yoke to retract said bolt,

8. In an apparatus of the kind described,

the combination of a latching bolt, a spring engaging said bolt .to force it to its latching position, means adapted to be manipulated to retract said bolt leaving said bolt free to move to its disengaged position independent of said means,g a yoke engaging said bolt to .draw the sameto its disengaged position while leaving disengaged yo said bolt free to move to its position independent of said rotatablemeans acting on said yoke to bolt, means to its disengaged position free to-move toward the disof said bolt independent retract said bolt in both directions of rotation, said yoke being free to move toward the disengaged position of said bolt independent of its retracting means, and a spring acting on said yoke to prevent free motion ofthe same without opposing the action of the first mentioned spring.

a tween the latch and said handle'and arranged to be operated by the latter, said connection comprising a pair of members one of which is movable relative to the other to permit operation of the latch independently of said handleand a spring interposed between said members and normally tending to maintain them in operative relationship.

In testimony whereof I signthis specifica-- tion.

P HORACE TITHOMAS. 

